DragonballZ - A Gutter Ballet
by Fey Silvith
Summary: Krillin takes Vegeta on a night out into town - then things take a nasty turn : takes place in the time when they are preparing for the battle against the two mysterious androids


**Invitation**

The little bald man shuffled sideways past the wall of the small house of Master Roshi while he kept his eyes fixed tightly on the back of the brooding Vegeta. Sweat drops formed on his brow as he made his way to the corner as swiftly and as silently as he could. He hadn't taken the large bucket of ice-water into account though and as he was about to sneak around the corner and dash for the beach where Gohan and Goku were playing volley he bumped straight into it, sending both the bucket and himself sprawled all over the place. Horrified he saw how a lump of ice flew towards the spiky black hair, bumped into it and slid down the bright pink shirt of the Saiyan he had been trying so hard to avoid.

Vegeta didn't flinch but his eyes flicked towards Krillin who lay flat on his back. When he saw the expression of utter dismay on the little man's face his lips contorted to a sneer. Then he resumed his study of the endlessly rolling ocean.

Krillin gathered his wits about and as soon as his legs could carry him he rushed down the beach towards the other guys.

"Hiiiiiii Krillllliiiiinnn!!!!!" Merrin surfed by and as always her stunning beauty drew his immediate and full attention. He was about to raise his hand and yell something back when he saw a large object coming his way. The next moment he lay flat on his back again, this time with a spinning head.

"Krillin! Are you alright!? You took a nasty hit there from that ball. Hey! That's a pretty big bump on your head!"

As his vision returned he looked in the upsidedown face of Goku. "Yeah..." he stammered, "I'm okay..."

Actually, he pondered as he sought the relative safety of the living room, stepping over Master Roshi who was glued to the TV as always when the aerobic show was on, actually he wasn't "okay" at all. Actually he was getting pretty desperate for some change in the situation.

"Aaaaarrggh." He sighed as he fell back on the sofa, nursing his new bruises, "When Frieza was still around things weren't so boring!" _Wait!_ He scolded himself, _You can't wish for Frieza to be back! He killed you, you idiot!_

"I never thought a louse like you would speak a truth like that out loud."

That voice...he jumped. "Oh...eh...hi Vegeta...didn't see you comin' in..eh..heheh...shouldn't you be out training and all?"

To his surprise the Saiyan didn't reply but instead slumped down next to him on the sofa.

_Gosh! He looks as bored as I've been feeling lately._

"YAAARRRGHHHH!!!!!" 

Krillin jumped when the Saiyan prince suddenly pounded both his fists on the table. 

"I can't BELIEVE this!!! HOLIDAY!!!! You earthlings NEVER pass a chance to WASTE your time!!! Instead of being out there, training, Kakaroth is playing around with that FOOLISH boy and being FED by his WIFE like some sort of PET DOG!!!! He should be preparing for his next battle!"

Krillin had taken shelter behind the sofa. Carefully he peeked over it. "Whawa...what battle, Vegeta? Frieza and his dad are gone and the androids aren't about to show up for another two years..."

"With ME of course, you IDIOT!" Vegeta fell back on the sofa. "I can't STAND this foolish hanging around!"

Krillin thought he understood. Vegeta still wanted to fight Goku and to find out how to become a supersayian. But all Goku had done on this island so far was playing around. It WAS a holiday of course, but Krillin doubted that word was part of Vegetas vocabulary. _He wouldn't recognize a joke if it was green and purple and yelled "MOO". Man, that guy's so tensed up! He really has no idea how to relax. _Suddenly he had an idea.

"If you're that bored, why don't we get out of here and go out in town? There's lots of fun, like discos and casinos and all. It might take your mind of things."

As soon as the words had left his mouth he already regretted saying them. He cringed behind the sofa, expecting another assault either verbally or physically, but when it didn't come he carefully raised his head. Vegeta was standing in the middle of the room with his arms crossed and watched him thoughtfully.

"Very well." He snapped, "As long as Kakaroth stays here I might as well see what earthlings find entertaining. It looks like I'm stuck on this boring little planet of yours for the time being anyway."

**The strongest man in the world?**

"Hey look you guys! Isn't that Krillin and Vegeta?" Gohan pointed up in the sky where they could see two shapes getting smaller. "Yeah it's them alright! Where would they be going?"

"Hmpf." Piccolo snorted, "We'd better go after them! I doubt Vegeta is up to much good!"

Goku smiled. "Hey, come on! Krillin and VEGETA going somewhere together...it's a good thing! Maybe he's finally getting used to earth!"

"That's what I'm afraid of." Piccolo said, too softly for anyone to hear.

"Where are you taking me baldy!?"

Krillin decided to ignore the insult. "There's a huge holiday resort on a small island that way!" he shouted over his shoulder, pointing ahead of him, "There's always some party going on there! That's where I met Merrin!" He swallowed and hoped she would never find out he'd gone to a party and left her behind. He could barely hear what Vegeta muttered over the wind but he caught the words "stupid" and "girlfriend" and his spirit sank below sea level. This had been one his worst ideas so far. _Going to a party with Vegeta! What was I thinking!? I sure hope nothing really bad happens._

They landed on a deserted part of the beach. All in all it was a calm and warm evening, stars peacefully twinkling overhead.

"This way!" Krillin said. The city consisted mostly of towering hotels on the border but its center and the boulevard were crowded with shops and bars and people. The closer they came to the heart of the city the more people they encountered, a colourful bunch of men and women determined to have fun on their holiday.

Though Vegeta was smaller than most men, he marched through the street like it belonged to him and his face was set in a permanent haughty sneer. The men went out of their way to avoid him while the women cast admiring looks at him. Krillin had more or less gotten used to his presence but now he realised once more what impact Vegeta had on people. _No, not a good idea at all, _he thought while he did his best to keep up with the marching pace of his companion.

Suddenly his attention was drawn to a muffled noise. When he looked into a small street they passed he saw the music he'd heard came from a small square that was hidden behind the buildings on the main road.

"Hey! Vegeta!"

"Huh?" 

Krillin gestured him to come back. "There's a carnival there! Let's go take a look!"

He dragged Vegeta through the narrow street before the Saiyan had a chance to object and entered the carnival. There were machines everywhere, going high, going fast, going round and round again and the sound of screams and laughter filled their ears. Also there were houses with ghosts and monsters and stands where people could bet their money on huge prizes like cars and stereos and fortunetellers with their mysterious shrouded cloths of black velvet and stars.

"What IS this place!?"

"It's a carnival. People go here to have fun." Krillin almost laughed out loud at the look of horrid disbelief that spread over the Saiyans face as they walked over the square.

"This is stupid!" Vegeta hissed as he grabbed Krillins shoulder, "Why would people ENJOY being scared!? They seek it out purposefully –he waved his hand around- but none of them would be able to move an inch if I showed them TRUE power!"

"OOOH! Watch where you are going, young man!"

"WHAT! WHO said that!?" Vegeta whirled around and found himself face to face with an elderly lady. Her hair was dressed like an enourmous pink tower and her pink frilly dress was now smeared with pink icecream. She shook her finger under his nose. "Will you LOOK at my dress! Completely ruined!Young people are SO rude these days! Well? The least you could do is apologise! Where ARE your manners, young man?"

Krillin swallowed. Then Vegeta surprised him for the second time that day. A blush spread over his face and he muttered, "I'm sorry ma'm."

"And you SHOULD be!" She huffed, "It's a shame! I just bought this dress today. These stains will never come out!"

"I SAID I was SORRY!" Vegeta snarled, "Now get out of my way, you old tart!!!"

For a moment the lady in pink looked like she was going to faint.

"Hey, is this punk bothering you, ma'm?" The bulkiest man Krillin had ever seen stepped forward. He only wore a pair of loose trousers and soft shoes and the muscles of his gleaming torso bulged incredibly. His head was about as big as his biceps and almost completely hidden from view by a wild moustache.

"Looking for trouble, punk?" The man growled at Vegeta with his arm protectively around the elder lady.

Vegeta straightened and looked up in the face of the muscle-man. "WHAT did you call me!?"

_Uh-oh,_ Krillin thought, _I _knew_ this was a bad idea!_

"You heard me!" The man stared back, "I know your type! Always looking for trouble, you are. But you leave this lady alone and pick someone your own size. Shorty!" 

Krillin didn't know wether to laugh or to run and hide. He could see the vein in Vegeta's neck throb and felt his powerlevel flaring. In the meanwhile a small crowd had gathered around them and they were cheering the big man. "Tell him, Guilio!" "Don't let him get away with it!" "They're always causing trouble!"

To the surprise of the crowd and Guilio Vegeta snickered. "And what makes you think you're a match for me, earthling?"

The man called Guilio stepped back and proudly gestured at one of the carnival attractions. The pink lady disappeared within the safety of the crowd as soon as he'd let go of her. Krillin looked at the attraction he pointed out, saw the wooden pole, the bell and the neon board and felt a familiar sinking feeling in his stomach.

"Don't know who I am, do you!? I will tell you!" The large man bellowed. 

"I am Guilio, the strongest man in the world!"

**Crowdsurfing**

Vegetas snicker silenced the beginning cheer of the crowd. When he burst out in laughter an angry murmur went through the gathered group of people. Suddenly he snapped, "That's PREPOSTEROUS!!!" He folded his arms and fastened his menacing eyes on Guilio whose eyebrows had sunk so deep they touched his moustache. A wicked smile played on Vegetas lips.

_He's up to something!_ Krillin tried to step back but bounced against the wall of people. "Eh...Vegeta...? Shouldn't we like...get out of here? These guys don't seem to like us very much."

Vegeta ignored him and kept his attention on Guilio. "You're NOTHING! I bet you..." He said slowly while his eyes darted from Guilio to Krillin and back, "I bet you for threehundred dollars even baldy here –he nudged at Krillin- can beat you."

"VEGETA!" Krillin started angrily but when he realised every eye was turned to him he blanched and wished the ground would open and swallow him right there and then. 

After a moment of silence Guilio doubled up with laughter. "HIM!? That's a JOKE! A bad one!!! He's even shorter than you, punk! I'd grind him to a pile of dust before he could blink!!"

Despite himself Krillin found he was getting pretty angry with the guy. He'd taken a whole lot of insults from Vegeta already, but at least they hadn't been in front of an entire audience. 

"Yeah, I could!" He shouted, "I could beat you easily! But I bet your too afraid to take the challenge! You probably don't even OWN threehundred dollars!" _And neither do we...Vegetas arrogance is rubbing off on me...I can't take that big guy down...or can I?_

"So it is set? Very well. Commence." Vegeta stepped to the edge of the cirle. His sneer sent shivers down Krillins spine. _Look at him! He's so...royal! What were we thinking, allying with HIM? He thinks this is purely for HIS amusement!_ But left no other choice, Krillin straightened and stepped forward to the center of the cirle.

Guilio looked at him, then at Vegeta and then back at Krillin again. "You're serious, aren't you, little man?" He sounded mildly surprised, "You might want to reconsider this. I have no trouble with you, just with your friend over there."

Krillin frowned. "What? Don't tell me you're afraid. Are you backing out already?"

Then he finally became the subject of Guilios full attention. "Very well. If you insist. But don't say I didn't warn you, peck!"

As the fighters measured eachother while they took a fighting stance the subsided crowd regained its spirit and started cheering Guilio again. Krillin glanced at Vegeta. _I HATE that guy! I'll make him pay for this!!!_

That one glance nearly cost him his teeth. Barely in time he managed to block the arm that shot forward from the bulk of muscles and was aimed at his jaw. The force of the blow reminded him of a jackhammer and his arm was temporarily numbed. He dodged backward, evading the blows and allowing himself some time to power up. _Strentgh AND speed! But Vegeta was right. I can beat this guy! And I won't make a fool of myself this time!_

When Krillin dodged his every blow the man called Guilio went beserk with rage. "RRRAAAAGHHHH!!!! You little RAT!!! STAY. WHERE. YOU. ARE!!!!"

They made another round through the circle. "You want me to stay where I am!?" Krilling shouted, "Okay!" He stopped and grabbed the arm of the bulky man as it whistled past his head. Before Guilio had time to realise what was happening, Krillin used the arm as a lever and threw his opponent away from him. Guilio flew neatly into the crowd with a little arc and landed on two agitated but non-suspecting spectators. Screams erupted all around him and the people backed away to give the fighters more room. Dazed the strongest man in the world got up and shook his head. "I've HAD it with you, PUNK!!!" He shouted, "I've only been toying with you so far, but now you've done it!!! I'll squash you like a bug!!!"

"Oh YEAH!?" Krillin shouted back, "Give it your best shot!"

Half an hour later and threehundred dollars richer they were walking over the main street again. No matter how he tried, Krillin couldn't get the grin off his face. Boy, did he show that lump! Now what to do with the money? When he saw his sweaty reflection in one of the shopwindows, covered with dirt from the streets, he knew the answer. 

He looked at Vegeta. "If we want to get into a casino we should get ourselves some good suits. They do have a dress code there."

Vegeta thought it over for a moment. He glanced at his own reflection and took in the fluorescent shirt and the lime trousers Bulma made him wear all the time. He nodded curtly. "Very well."

**A new definition of shopping**

Krillin looked doubtfully at himself in the large mirror. Most of his face was hidden in the frills of the brightly dotted shirt the shopkeeper had insisted on was the latest fashion trend. He liked the rest of the suit though, light grey with a small white stripe. "I'd like a plain white shirt with this, sir. And a hat."

The shopkeeper looked disappointed at this disregard for fashion. With a sigh he searched the rack for the requested items and handed them without a word.

Krillin disappeared into the dressing room again and the next time he looked in the mirror he was satisfied with what he saw. He pulled the hat over his brow and studied the effect. "Something is missing..." He muttered under his breath. The shopkeeper perched his ears and frantically started searching his racks. "Here sir, I'm POSITIVE this is what you're missing!"

Krillin stared horrified at the orange brother of the shirt he'd rejected only moments ago and looked back into the mirror. "Nope, that's not it...what is it..what?"

Then it dawned. "Of course! Sunglassess!" He walked over to the counter and eyed the collection of sunglassess. "That one!"

The shopkeeper rolled his eyes in dismay but handed him the shades nevertheless.

"Oh YEAH! Baby!" Krillin said to his mirror image from over the sunglassess. "That's it! Looking hot!" Then he turned to the other dressing room, "Hey Vegeta! Are you done yet?"

"SERVANT!!! COME HERE!!!" Vegetas raspy voice came from behind the curtain of the other dressing room. 

The shopkeeper hasted himself over to his only other customer. "Yes sir?"

"I REFUSE to wear these! I've HAD it with your flowergarments! You will bring me something suitable now or you will suffer the consequences!!!"

The shopkeeper flew through the room and landed in a rack of jackets, clutching tightly to another member of the bright and dotted family. "Sir! I refuse to be treated like this in my own store! If you cannot behave then I'll..."

"SHUT UP! I DEMAND you bring me a suitable shirt!"

Krillin wasn't surprised when he saw the poor shopkeeper jump to his feet and search his store like he was stung by a bee. The only one he knew who could sort of control Vegeta was Bulma and she was currently far away with her parents, fiddling on another ingenious invention no doubt. He sighed and settled down in one of the chairs. Luckily it didn't take Vegeta too long and when he came out of the dressing room Krillin thought he actually looked pretty smart in his classic black and white. "Not too bad!" He said.

Vegeta turned around in front of the mirror. "Not bad." He said curtly. "Let's go. We've wasted enough time here."

Without any further comment he walked for the exit but found it barred by a shivering shopkeeper. "But sirs, you wouldn't forget to pay?" The poor man nearly melted in his suit, as nervous as he was.

Krillin reached for his wallet but Vegeta looked down on the shopkeeper. "You should find yourself pleased that you were allowed to dress a Saiyan prince. I'm certain you will want to be ABLE to tell your grandchildren about the honour that befell you."

The shopkeeper paled and fainted. With a sigh Krillin stepped over him and followed Vegeta out into the street. "You sure have a way with people." He muttered. 

"You mentioned a...casino?" Vegeta tasted the word, "What kind of place is that anyway?"

"It's a place where people come to gamble. Play cards, roll the dice, you know. You like to bet." He added accusingly from behind the safety of his shades, thinking back at Guilio. The appraising looks he and Vegeta drew from passers-by and his reflection in the shopwindows returned his self-esteem. "Hey, I'm sure you'll like it."

**O Fortuna**

"But...but that's...IMPOSSIBLE!!!" Vegeta hit his fist on the dark wood of the table, taking no notice of how it splintered, and glared at the ball that had rolled into red for the third time in a row. The evening had started out so well. He'd got lots of coin out of the machines, beaten everyone at black jack and poker but this stupid little ball didn't seem to care he was the strongest warrior in the universe. It kept rolling the wrong way.

From the bar Krillin watched him. He'd done pretty well himself and was just telling two very beautiful ladies and the girl at the bar about his fight with Guilio while he had an arm around each of them. But, he reminded himself, you have Merrin. And Vegeta sure looks like he needs a drink.

He ordered two cocktails from the bargirl and with a sigh of regret he disentangled himself from his fair companions and made his way to the roulette where Vegeta had just lost another round. Before he could erupt into a frenzy Krillin pushed the blood red drink in his hands. "Here you go. One Tequila Sunrise, with the compliments of Serafine, the girl behind the bar over there."

Vegeta eyed his glass with suspicion. "What IS this!? If you are trying to trick me into drinking poison I'll break every bone in your body!"

_Man! Does this guy EVER relax? "It's not poison, Vegeta," He said with as much patience as he could muster, "It's a __cocktail, a perfectly common drink."_

He drank a large amount through his straw, and then smiled brightly at the hesitant Vegeta. "Here, see? No poison. Just a drink. Yummy, tastes good!" He emptied his glass with another draw and held out his hand. "If you won't take it..."

"Oh, ALRIGHT!" Vegeta said impatiently and picked the straw out of his glass and threw it on the floor. Then he drank his drink in one go and pushed the empty glass into Krillins hand. "Nice. Get me another one." He said to the smiling little man and turned his attention back on the roulette. "I'll go for red this time." Krillins smile faded and he stood on his toes to watch the spinning wheel. He had a feeling this time it would be black, but he didn't say anything.

"I don't BELIEVE this!" Vegeta shouted when the ball ended in a black part. "That STUPID wheel!" Heads turned their direction.

"Hey Vegeta!" Krillin swiftly diverted him before he'd do some serious damage, "Let's go over to the bar, I'd like to introduce you to some girls I just met, Carmine and Julie. They're really nice."

The Saiyan frowned at him. "Oh, very WELL! This game is tedious and boring anyway." He grabbed his remaining coins and barged away.They sat down at the bar and Krillin ordered four more drinks. Four because the two pretty girls fluttered their way as soon as they saw he was back at the bar again.

"There you go, sweetheart." The bargirl named Serafine handed him the drinks and bent over the bar. "If you'll introduce me to that hansome friend of yours the drinks are on the house." She whispered in his ear and threw him her dazzling lipstick smile. Krillin went beetred and all remaining thoughts of Merrin vanished in a puff of smoke. "Uh..uh...of course! Serafine, this is Vegeta, Vegeta meet Serafine." He smiled happily and hoped his hat and shades hid most of his blush.

"Well, hello there, hansome," She giggled, "I can't remember seeing you around before."

"Maybe that's because I've never BEEN here before." Vegeta sized her up and returned her giggle with a haughty stare. Krillin assumed she permafrosted because of his rude reply. With a sigh he turned his attention to Carmine and Julie who draped themselves around him and begged him to continue the story about the fight with Frieza.

**Sabre dance**

Some time and many drinks passed and Krillin was rudely torn out of his idea of heaven when Vegeta added, "Yeah, and after that he got swooped up into the air and blown to little pieces and Kakaroth saved the day. I've heard that story so often it makes me sick! How about we move on? This place had its moments but I prefer something more...interesting." 

"I know a club! Sabre Dance!" Carmine crooned, ignoring his icy interruption, "We can go there and dance till the sun comes up!" She sighed, "Oh, and it would be SO romantic to end the night on the beach somewhere!"

"Yes!" Julie clapped her hands and jumped from her barstool, "That would be great! You guys would love it in that club!"

"Err...is that okay with you, Vegeta?" Krillin looked over the very bare shoulder of Carmine who was trying to drag him off his stool. Vegeta offered no reply but got up and walked to the stairs. _Ew...is it me, or is he walking slightly unstable? Wew, not too sober myself either. Better watch my steps._ "After you, ladies." Krillin gestured and they burst into a fit of giggles again. While they were fussing about their coats at the wardrobe Krillin walked over to Vegeta who was leaning against the wall. 

"Enjoying the evening so far?"

"It could have been worse." 

Krillin took this as a 'yes'. He didn't know what to say so they waited for the girls in silence.

The outside air was still warm and stars twinkled overhead. "Oh, it is such a beautiful night, don't you think so Krillin?" He gazed into Carmines deep dark eyes. "It sure is." was the only thing he could say. Ahead of him Vegeta was walking with Julie draped around him. 

Suddenly he felt a tingle in the air. He pushed Carmine away and looked around but he saw nothing and while he waited the tingle faded until it disappeared again.

"What is it honey?"

"Err..." He shook his head. Probably his imagination was playing tricks on him. Carmine was watching him with worry. "It's nothing. Really. Let's get back to the others."

The road ahead made a turn and Vegeta and Julie had already disappeared from sight. Suddenly Krillin felt a surge of power and simoultaneously he heard a high piercing scream, followed by an explosion.

"Julie!" Carmine yelled and she dashed around the corner.

"Vegeta!" Krillin shouted angrily and he went after her, fearing the worst for Julie. When he had taken the curve he stood still and watched the scene. The street had been completely devastated and every window of the buildings that sided it was smashed to bits. A cloud of smoke and dust slowly began to dissapate and high above it, in the air, Vegeta hovered with the limp body of a girl in one arm while the other was stretched palm down towards the ground.

"Julie!!!" Carmine screamed, this time desperately, "Julie!!!"

Stressed by the panic in her voice Krillin took off. "Vegeta! What have you done to her!?!?" He shouted as he brought himself eye to eye with the powered warrior. In response Vegeta slowly descended until he reached the ground. His power faded and he put the unconscious body in his arm down on the ground. A slow triumphant smile spread over his face as he took in the mayhem he'd caused.

Carmine threw herself at the body of her friend. "Julie, Julie...say something! Please!"

"Vegeta! What did you do THAT for!" Krillin hovered in front of him. "You can't just go around BLASTING places!!! All those people...and Julie..."

"Hmpf." Vegeta shook his head. "Don't worry your hairs off baldy. She's okay."

Fuming Krillin settled his feet back on the ground. "Carmine? How's Julie?" He called over his shoulder.

Just then the body gasped and coughed and tried to get up.

"Julie!" Carmine cried happily, "You're alive!"

"Of COURSE she is." Vegeta sneered, "Why would she NOT be?"

"Because your hobby is to destroy people." Krillin muttered softly to himself while he knelt down on the other side of the coughing girl. Her eyes flew open. Carmine and Krillin fell back on the road when she jumped to her feet and launched herself at Vegeta. "Oh thank you, thank you, THANK you!!!" She cried, and kissed him on the cheek, "That was so BRAVE of you! You were AMAZING!!!"

Krillin scrambled to his feet. "WHOA...What!? What do you mean by that!? Brave...???" 

Julie still clung to Vegeta and stared happily over his shoulder, with tears in her eyes. "He saved my LIFE!" She sighed, "We were walking and suddenly there were these really mean men with guns who tried to rob us and then...BOOM! Oh, you're my hero!" She giggled in Vegetas ear.

"Errr...ehm...heheheh...oh." Krillin helped Carmine back on her feet. He was afraid her eyes were going to pop out of her head and he was unsure about the condition of his own as well. _Since when does Vegeta SAVE people? Hm. I guess the booze has a good influence on him, heheh. Is he really blushing?_

"Woman, let GO of me!" Vegeta stepped back, trying to create some distance between himself and the girl.

"Ooooh! Such a brave fighter, and SHY too! Isn't he a cutie!?" Julie smiled to Carmine. "You should have SEEN him! If he can dance as well as he fights all the girls at the Sabre will be SO jealous! You will dance with me, won't you sweetie?" She threw Vegeta a dazzling smile and took Carmines arm. The two girls walked away to a street that crossed the one Vegeta had just blasted, chattering happily away.

Vegeta grabbed Krillins arm and hissed, "What is this about DANCING!? What is that airhead talking about!?"

"Err...hey!" Krillin laughed apologetically, "It's a _disco_ Vegeta! People go there to dance! Carmine told me the music is really good there."

"That girl has absolutely NO brains at all! And this is supposed to be FUN!? I'd as soon fight Kakaroth with my arms tied behind my back!"

"Ow...come on Vegeta! Let's just go there and see, okay? And err...could you let go of my arm now?"

"Hmpf. Fine! We will go to this _disco_ baldy. But it better be more of a challenge than THIS! Else I will have fun on this island...MY WAY!" He gestured over the smoking ruin that was once a part of the main street.

Krillin swallowed. _Oh man! Me and my big mouth! Compared to THIS guy even Piccolo seems sociable! I wished Goku was here..._

**The roof comes down**

The Sabre Dance Disco was one of many located on a promenade just outside the bustling city. From the outside it was a towering building  constructed of metal, concrete and glass. A flashing neon sign covered most of its front and from the roof coloured spotlights beamed into the sky. From the inside it appeared to be split into several floors, each with their own dancefloor, music style and a set of bars. There had been a problem at the entrance because only the people who could show their hotel pass were allowed in but the bouncers had been saved an unpleasant fate at the hands of Vegeta when the girls introduced them as their guests. They dropped their coats at the wardrobe and found a couple of free seats close to the bar on the third floor.

"Well..heheh...there we are..." Krillin laughed, rather nervously. The incident at the main street had sobered him up a great deal and he just couldn't be comfortable with Carmine all around him while Merrins face kept popping up in his head. He got up abruptly. "I'll get us some drinks, right?"

"Yes! And then we dance! You'll dance with me Krillin, darling, won't you?" Carmine pouted, "I'd be SO disappointed if you wouldn't! I'm sure you're a WONDERFUL dancer!"

Krillin went beetred and ducked for the bar. When he was gone Carmine leaned over the table and smiled at Vegeta. "Tell me, what do you do?"

"Yes!" Julie smiled as well and snuggled a little closer. Vegeta sat stiffly on the seat, his arms crossed in front of him, and tried to edge as far away from Julie as he could without falling off. 

"What do you mean?"

"Well, what do you do for a living? You're SO strong!"

"Oh, I know! I know!" Julie clapped her hands, "You must be a bouncer!!!"

"No. No way! I haven't seen him in any of the discos around." Carmine said, leaning even further over the table. She wore a very low cut dress and exposed quite some of her remarkable bosom. Sweat drops appeared on Vegetas brow. He was sure that if he moved another inch he'd fall off his seat.

"No, you're right. An army man then? A big, strong soldier?" Julie traced the line of his muscles over the suit. "But soldiers don't wear suits, do they?"

"An officer?" Carmine vented, "Or a spy?" She reached out and touched his hair. "I've never seen army men with such hair though..."

It took Krillin a while to get the drinks because of the crowd and when he returned to the table Vegeta was gone. "Ladies...your drinks." He put the glassess on the table and sat down next to Carmine. "Hey! Where did Vegeta go?"

Carmine and Julie looked at each other and burst out in laughter. "He ran away!" Carmine giggled.

"He's so shy!" Julie added. "All we did was guess about his job...but he wouldn't say a word and then he got up and left. But you're here now! So you can tell us anyway!"

"Heheh" Krillin scratched the back of his neck. What was he going to say? _He's training because in approximately two years two androids will show up and destroy the entire planet earth._ That didn't sound too good. "Well, actually, he doesn't have a job."

"Oh." Julie looked disappointed. "So he doesn't work at all?"

"Well...no."

"Oh."

"But he dressess really expensive! I know, I know, he's a gangster!" Carmine lowered her voice, "Maybe a hitman!"

Julie brightened. "That's exciting! A ruthless killer..." She shivered.

Krillin rolled his eyes but decided not to say anything. _They hit home close enough_, he thought, _He _is_ a ruthless killer._ To divert their attention from the subject he pointed at the dancefloor. "You ladies still want to dance?"

They'd just gotten up when Vegeta reluctantly returned to the table. 

"Hiiii Vegeta!" The girls crooned and burst into a fit of giggles again. "We were just going to dance. Are you coming?"

The Sayian stiffened. "No." 

"Awwww...why not?" Julie took his arm, "Come on! It's fun!"

"No! And let go of me, woman!" He shook himself loose and reached for his drink, "I am NOT interested in that ridiculous DANCING!"

"I betcha he just can't dance." Krillin whispered just too loudly in Carmines ear. 

"WHAT was that!?"

"Oh...er...nothing, Vegeta." Krillin gave him a menacing look and swept Carmine away to the dancefloor before the prince had a chance to reply. Vegetas eyes hardened. He emptied his drink and followed Krillin to the dancefloor, dragging Julie with him. 

_Actually he's not such a bad dancer at all. He's pretty good, heck, he's damn good!_ Krillin watched Julie and Vegeta circling past, Julie clinging tightly to the Sayian and Vegeta staring over her head with a look of determined concentration on his face. _I bet that he didn't even know the steps when he entered this disco!_ _Who will ever understand those Saiyans?_ Then he returned his attention to his own dancepartner. _Gosh, she's beautiful! Just look at her..._He blushed and tried to keep his eyes on her face. Well, she just WAS taller than he. And she moved so supple! He led her through a couple of swinging sweeps and twists. "Are you two on holiday here?"

"Nooo...we're international jewel thieves. There are some pretty wealthy people on this island so we decided to follow them and have some fun on the job."

"Ah." Then he tripped over his feet. "WHAT!?"

Carmine giggled. "Sorry, just kidding. Yes, we're on holiday."

"Pwew! For a minute you got me there!" Krillin sighed relieved and picked up pace as the music changed from classic to modern. One of the advantages of training so much was that he could effortlessly throw Carmine into the air and catch her again without so much a breaking a sweat.

"You're GOOD!" She smiled breathlessly.

"Thank you. You're not too bad yourself."

And they were good. Slowly people stopped dancing to watch the pair of them and when the music finished even the DJ applauded before he put on another song. Krillin enjoyed himself immensly. Carmine was a great dancer and he pulled out all his reserves, completely caught up in the rythm of the night.

Then the building exploded.

The one moment he held Carmine in his arms, ready for another swinging move, the next moment he heard an eardeafening roar and he and Carmine were hit by a blast of scorching air. He slammed into the floor and someone slammed into him and left him dazed and numbed. At first he thought his ears were buzzing but gradually the swelling rumble he heard proved itself a serious danger as large chunks of ceiling came falling down together with the electric wiring of the lightshows._Carmine!!! _He thought, _Where is she!?!?_ He pushed the limp body on top of him aside and desperately tried to get to his feet. _Carmine!? Why is the floor so unsteady? What's happening? Earthquake? Carmine!?_ Then he was buried under a pile of rubble and the blunt end of a heavy metal bar that hit him on the side of his head made all the lights go out.

**Walking in the dark**

He couldn't breathe. Something heavy was pressing on his chest, persuading him to give up, to give in, tempting him with peace, promising him to put an end to the pain forever..._Merrin?_ She hovered in front of him just above the waves and stretched her arms towards him. She cocked her head and smiled. "Come on, Krillin! Why won't you come out in the water? It such nice weather..."

Yeah, nice weather...he felt so drowsy...he was a lucky guy with such a beautiful girlfriend, who could ever keep her waiting? But something nagged his conscience...he had been in the city...dancing with a girl...

Before him Merrin changed, her blonde hair growing longer and curlier and darker, her features sharpened and her eyes turned darker and were decorated with unending eyelashes. "Dance with me, Krillin...come on, one more song..."

Who was she? He blinked, smiling hesitantly.

"...just one more? Please?..You're such a wonderful dancer..." She withdrew her arms and hugged herself, looking sad, oh, so sad...he wanted to reach out to her, take her in his arms and dance the grief away but he couldn't move, couldn't move his arms...what was her name?

"...Krillin?...Don't leave me here...I feel so lonely...so cold..."

He gathered all his strength to reach out to her. He wanted to comfort her so badly, she was so sad, but still the heavy weight was pressing him down and he couldn't move an inch.

"...Krillin...please...help me...dance with me..." "...come on, the weather is really nice...You're so lazy! Why do you want to ly on the beach all day..." "...just one more round, one more song..." "...oooh! Look at that car! It would go perfectly with the shoes I just bought..." "...I'm an international jewel thief..." "...and that's exactly the kind of house I'd want to live in if I was married!..." "...holiday...dance with me, Krillin..." "..Let's dance! I love to dance..." "...I love to dance..."

Before his eyes the two women became one and rapidly he fell away from them through a dark tunnel. _Merrin? Don't go, Merrin...Merrin!!! __Car...Carmine...CARMINE!!!! __NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!_

Around him the world erupted in wild light as he blasted his way free from under the smoking ruin of what once had been the Sabre Dance. "Oh NO! Carmine! Julie!"

Quivering he hung in the air and looked down on the scene. Distantly he was aware of people screaming and crying and the howling sirenes of the firebrigade. He took a dive, frantically searching for any trace of the girls, when a horrible thought struck him. 

_...but it better be more of a challenge than THIS! Else I will have fun on this island...MY WAY!..._

"Oh no, Vegeta...what have you done? It wasn't you, was it?" It couldn't have been. "I should have left him alone. Why did I ever...what got into me!? He tried to destroy the earth, he was Friezas henchman...what made me think he'd changed!?"

He landed at the site as close to where he thought he'd been when the disaster struck. It was difficult to see anything through the smoke and dust and the heat scorched his lungs and stung his bleeding skin. 

"...Help...me...please, help..."

A female voice. The sound was weak. He stumbled through the rubble, panic and hope fighting inside of him.

"...help me...somebody..."

There it was again. He jumped on top of a pile of rocks and suddenly he saw the head and upper body of a girl, buried underneath the very pile he was standing on. She looked up at him with eyes that were dazed from the shock. "...it...hurts..."

His hope that it was either Julie or Carmine shattered. But she was in pain and quickly he ran over to her. He pushed the huge block of concrete that kept her down aside. He had to use all his strength to move the stone and his muscles screamed in protest. "Easy now...almost there...hang on there, miss, it's almost...Done!"

He knelt down by her side and dug her out of the remaining rubble. With his help she got back on her feet, a little shaky but as far as he could see she hadn't broken anything. "It's a miracle you survived that. You were very lucky!" Right as he said that he felt all traces of hope vanish in the wind. _Carmine...Julie...I'm so sorry...it's all my fault..._

The girl smiled hesitantly. "Yes, I sure had luck." Then she collapsed to the ground and started crying heartbreakingly. "My boyfriend...George...he was just getting us some drinks...I'll never see him again!" She wailed. "And we were getting married this summer!!!"

"Hey! You there! If you can move, get the hell away from there! We need to do our job and your in the way!!!" A fireman appeared out of the clouds of smoke. "Come on! Move!"

"Come on." Krillin said to the girl. She didn't seem to hear him. He lifted her in his arms and walked away over the scattered fragments of a beautiful night.

**Nothing you would care about**

He didn't know how much time had passed since he and the girl, who had remained nameless had emerged from the site of catastrophe. Somewhere along the way she had been taken from him by a doctor of one of the trauma-teams that had appeared on the site. They'd offered him assistance too, but he'd told them he didn't need any and as soon as he'd reached the edge of the disaster-area he'd taken flight.

Now he was sitting somewhere on the beach at the foot of the dunes, letting sand slip through his fingers, staring over the ocean. The sky already lightened in approach of the sunrise but all he could see was Carmines smile. _You wanted us to go to the beach and watch the sun come up. Well, here I am, but where are you?_

"Ah. There you are." 

Startled from his thoughts he jumped to his feet and powered up when he heard the familiar, hated voice. "Vegeta!"

The Sayian prince strolled barefeet over the sand towards him. His jacket and shirt were both gone and he kept his arms crossed over his bare chest. His trousers were dirty and torn and every visible inch of his skin was covered with bruises and scratches. 

"Vegeta!!! This time you've gone too far!" Krillin launched himself at Vegeta in a furious rage. His attack never hit home. Vegeta was so fast and strong he knocked Krillin out of the air effortlessly. 

"Enough! You're not even a challenge when I'm asleep!!!"

Krillins head spun from the impact of the blow. He shook himself to get rid of the dizziness and scrambled to his feet again. He wouldn't give up that easily. The air around him rippled from the intensity of his power. "You killed all those people, just because you were BORED!!! How COULD you, Vegeta!?" 

"Hmpf." Vegeta sniffed, "if you were a REAL warrior you would have felt that explosion had nothing to do with me. In fact, if you WERE a real warrior I'd have blasted you to another dimension long ago."

"You mean...that wasn't you back there? You didn't kill Julie and Carmine and all the others?" 

"No."

"Oh. Er...then what happened?" Krillin asked, feeling pretty foolish. If it had been Vegeta he would have felt –and recognised- the power miles off. And the Sayian wouldn't get as scratched as he was if it had been an explosion he'd caused himself of course.

Vegeta shrugged. "I don't know. I've had it with this island. I will go back and resume my training. I've wasted enough of my time here."

"But what about Carmine and Julie!? Are they...dead?" 

"OF COURSE they are dead! No ordinary human could have survived such an explosion!"

Vegeta took in the expression of pain on Krillins face and sniffed. "Such weakness! If you want them back you can always go off for the dragonballs with Bulma. That should keep that nosy woman from interfering with my training time and again!"

"You really don't care, do you!? They were really nice girls!" Krillin shouted furiously. He was so angry he purposely dismissed Vegeta had a point about the Dragonballs. 

"Did you really expect someone like HIM to care?"

"Huh?"

"What?"

Both the warriors turned around to where the voice had come from. A woman dressed in a military combat-outfit emerged from the bushes halfway up the dune. She was carrying an enourmous, dangerous looking gun, and kept it pointed at Vegeta while she made her way down to the foot of the hill. Because her hair was tied away from her face and she wore no make-up it took Krillin a while to recognise her. "Serafine!"

"Yeah, it's me." She jumped the last bit and straightened up. "Boo."

"What are you doing here!? I mean...heheh...why are you pointing that gun at us?"

"If you are smart enough to step out of my line of fire you won't get hurt. I've got nothing against YOU really." Her eyes narrowed. "Unless you decide to jump in when I finish my business with THAT guy."

The one she referred to as "THAT guy" was watching the scene with casual disinterest.

Krillin backed away from her. "What do you want with Vegeta? If it was because he was rude to you back at the casino, heheh, hey, that's his usual attitude. No reason to shoot him for that now, is there?"

Serafine rolled her eyes. "You don't really think this has anything to do with that, do you? Why the hell should I care!!! This dates from about two years ago. Doesn't that ring any bells?"

"Of course it doesn't." She answered her own question. "For such 'outstanding' warriors you have an outstandingly short attention-span. Now, please stand still and it will all be over soon." 

She moved oddly uncoordinated when she lifted the gun to her shoulder. Vegeta continued staring over her head. He seemed to take no notice of her at all, or the fact that was in point blank range of her weapon and she was about to shoot him. 

"You're not even interested in WHY I want to kill you, are you!? Say your prayers little man, cause your life ends HERE!" With an exasperated sigh Serafine pulled the trigger.

**A ghost from the past**

_Two years back...what happened two years back? _Krillins mind was racing. _Wasn't that when...when...that was when Nappa and Vegeta came to the earth for the first time! Oh no, Serafine!!! _

Then everything happened simoultaneously. Krillin saw her pull the trigger and jumped while he shouted at her not to do it. The instant Serafine heard his cry she instinctively turned to fend him off. Before the bullet had left the barrel both of them were caught in a sudden blast of energy. Krillin had the strange sensation as if his stomach stayed behind while he flew through the air. He landed head first on the beach and automatically gasped from the force of impact. Immediately his mouth filled with sand and blinded and coughing he kicked around wildly until he reached the surface of the little crater his landing had caused. He spit out mouthsfull of sand and drew deeply on the fresh air. Slowly the feeling he was choking receded and when he could breathe normally again he looked around to see where he was. More importantly, where Serafine and Vegeta were.

He couldn't see the Sayian anywhere but he did see the blast hadn't taken him too far from Serafine. Only a couple of meters away he saw her armyboots sticking out of the sand and he rushed over to her to dig her out, something that brought him an unpleasant deja-vu.

When he had released her out of her penible situation he feared the worst. She was lying on her stomach in the sand, gasping for air, and when she coughed up the sand that came from her lungs was mixed with blood.

"You need a doctor! I'll take you to the city-hospital!"

Serafine grasped his arm and shook her head wildly. "...no...doctor..." 

"But you'll die! Your body isn't used to this kind of blasts!"

"...no doctor!!!" The shout sent her into another heaving fit of coughs and more blood dripped from her mouth and nose. "...don't want any...help..."

She dug her nails deep in his arm. "...Do you...understand..me..?"

Krillin nodded. The last thing he wanted right now was to agitate her because that would only make things worse. Probably one of her ribs had broken and punctured her lungs. He had no idea how long she could live on with that kind of injury but he doubted she would survive if she didn't get help soon. And he didn't even have one sensu bean on him!

"You didn't have to do this, Serafine," he said sadly.

She frowned and tears glistened between her tightly closed eyelids. "The bastard..killed...my family...my friends...my...my boyfriend..."

He'd suspected it already. "Yeah, he was kind of a bad guy when he came to earth. But he's changed. He helped us defeating the most evil being in the universe! And right now he's preparing to fight with us against an even worse threath!"

"I..can't believe you're...sticking up for...THAT!!! He's a MONSTER!!!" She screamed hoarsely, spraying blood all over Krillin. She pulled herself to her feet, unsteadily, shaking, looking like she would collapse into a sack of blood and broken bodyparts any moment. Her eyes glinted insanely in the twilight and her breath came in rattling heaves. "HE...types like him...NEVER change!!! Anyone who...kills so MERCILESSLY...with SO much...PLEASURE...is a KILLER!!!! Murderer!!! MURDEREEEEERRRR!!!" She shouted at the sky, "I KNOW YOU'RE OUT THERE!!!!...SHOW YOURSELF...show..yourself!!!"

"Pathetic!" 

Krillin jumped. He had been so intensely focused on Serafine that he hadn't noticed Vegeta had descended just behind him. Now the Sayian stepped forward and watched the badly wounded girl with his typical contempt. 

"Vegeta..." he urged softly, "You shouldn't be here! She wants to kill you, remember? You're only making things worse!"

"What? That!? That woman wouldn't be able to swat a fly! How could she possibly cause ME any harm!?"

**Dance Macabre**

Suddenly Serafines attention snapped to Vegeta. Her face was covered with blood and crusts of sand and most of her hair had escaped her tail and stood out in dissarray from her head. She smiled widely and her voice had ann odd pitch when she exclaimed, "THERE you are! And I almost thought you ran off!" 

"Eh...Serafine?...Shouldn't you let me take you to a hospital?" Krillin tried again. He was unsure if he should worry more about her physical or mental state.

"SHUT UP!" She growled. She took a couple of unsteady steps in their direction, stumbled and fell on her knees in the sand. She glared at Vegeta from under her brow. "Are ...you going to...give up so...soon!? I'm...helpless now!" She coughed up more blood. "Isn't that what...your kind prefers?...helpless victims...Well come ON! What...hrrr...are you waiting for!?!?!? FINISH IT!!!"

"Don't be RIDICULOUS!" Vegeta snapped, "You're MAD!"

It took some time before they realised the sound that came from her was laughter. Ever so slowly she dragged herself closer to them through the sand. 

Krillin thought that even Frieza at his worst had never been as frightening as the single-minded determination of this dying girl. He hesitated, not knowing what to do. _If only Goku was here! Then all this wouldn't have happened in the first place! _And at the same time all his earlier doubts about Vegeta surfaced again. _He didn't help us against Frieza because he wanted to save us...it was only because he wanted to be the strongest warrior in the universe himself! And now he's only here because he wants to be a Supersaiyan like Goku..._He remembered the first fight against Vegeta, here on earth, and how remorselessly the Saiyan Prince had finished off Nappa when he had decided his ally had reached his expiration date. _But Piccolo used to be one of the bad guys too. AARGGH! It's all so complicated!_

By an enourmous effort of will Serafine got up once more. Her body was shaking badly and her breathing was even more irregular. Only because of her willpower her limbs obeyed her when she forced herself to walk on. Her eyes were fixed on Vegeta the whole time. "Come out, come out, where...ughn..wherever you are..." She sang.

Fascinated the Saiyan watched her come closer, step by step. He didn't move an inch. Nor did he say anything.

"Don't go away now...heh...the fun is just starting..." Serafine and Vegeta were so close now their noses almost touched. She was slightly taller than he and stared blearily down her nose. Her left arm dangled limp from her shoulder, but the other still worked fine as she lifted her hand and planted her indexfinger on Vegetas chest. When she spoke she sounded like a little girl that had lost her mother. "I...I don't understand. What does...it take to kill you? I almost had you the first time but you escaped so easily... When I planted the explosions I was so sure you could never survive, but then I saw him... – she glanced at Krillin and her face wrinkled like she smelled something bad - ...fly away and I knew that you lived...and then I decided to get you personally but you fired a blast before I ever had the chance to pull the trigger...I really don't understand..." She smiled dreamily. A trickle of blood traced her cheek like a dark tear and fell apart on his crossed arms. "It was all for nothing. Now I'll never be able to avenge my family."

"So it was you who blew up the Sabre Dance. I thought so." Vegeta said. His voice was void of any emotion, as was his face. "I saw you in the streets before your petty henchmen attacked me. You're a fool to challenge me, girl. You saw before what I can do. And I've grown a hundred times stronger since then."

"YOU blew up the Sabre Dance!? Serafine, YOU!?" Krillin cried out, "How could you!? Those people had families too!!! And you killed all of them just to get back at Vegeta!?"

"Shut UP!!! ShutupshutupshutUP!!!!" Serafine screamed at him. She stumbled backwards and turned to Krillin. "You have NO idea what it's like!!!! You have no idea what it DOES when you go out in the city to have FUN and then...and then...They're all DEAD!!!!" She repeated. She hugged herself tightly and nearly doubled up to shelter herself. Her voice dropped to a hoarse whisper. "They come to me at night. Ever since then, they come to me every night, begging me to...heh...avenge them... haunting my sleeping and waking hours of darkness...the ghosts want revenge...Every night grows longer than the night before...every night they are denied they grow more restless, more demanding..."

"They want BLOOD!!!" She shrieked suddenly. Her limp arm lashed out. Something gleamed in the rosy light of dawn and Vegeta stumbled backward with an expression of disbelief on his face. It was swiftly followed by fury. Without hesitation he pulled the knife out of his stomach, threw it in the sand and in one fluid motion he reached out for the girl, grabbed her neck with his hands and broke it. The crack echoed over the beach. 

Vegeta pushed Serafine away. Her head lolled in impossible angles and like they were under control of a drunken puppetmaster who pulled the strings randomly, her arms and legs spasmed in a parody on a dance. Strangled, high-pitched sounds rose from her open mouth into the air. It was as if she performed an ancient ritual to greet the dawn, throwing her shaking arms up in welcome and taking staggering steps in every direction in her refusal to acknowledge her death. 

Krillin watched hypnotized. _This isn't happening. This isn't happening. This isn't happening. _The phrase repeated itself over and over in his head until the words completely lost their meaning. The sight fascinated him, it revolted him, it left him horrified and paralysed. But he couldn't avert his eyes. 

After what seemed an eternity Serafines body collapsed face forward in the sand. Her hand twitched, a final shiver went through her body and then it froze in death forever. 

Just that moment the sun rose from the horizon to cast her light on the first moments of a new day. 

**Two worlds**

Everything suddenly seemed so peaceful. The early light painted the sky in soft colours and the rays of the sun quickly evaporated the nightly chill. The birds awoke and sent their songs to the heavens and the ocean rolled steadily on and on, like it always had. The dunes silenced all the sounds that came from the city and in this peaceful moment only the slender body in the sand testified of the tragedy that had taken place. 

Krillin was rudely awakened from his dreamlike state and drawn back into the present again by the sound of Vegetas laughter. A couple of feet away from him the Saiyan was laughing triumphantly at the sky. It was a frightening sight as he stood there, his hands clenched to fists, his head thrown backward and blood running down his body from the knife-wound in his stomach. It didn't seem to bother him. His pale skin shone like gold in the sun and bathing in his power he looked like one of the ancient gods come to life. And, like a god, his body lifted into the air and without a word the dark prince flew away, still laughing.

Krillin couldn't bring up the energy to go after him. His return to the present had drained him of his last grains of spirit and at this this moment he wanted nothing more then to curl up and sleep, and wake up next to Merrin to find this past night had all been a bad dream. Something tickled his cheek. Absently he brought his hand up to scratch and found it was a tear rolling down his face. Angrily he wiped it away.

_So useless. Poor Serafine. Poor Carmine, poor Julie. You all died for nothing. Only Goku can stop him, but he doesn't see the evil in his heart. Vegeta will never give up, he will always be the way he was when he came to earth the first time: a cold-hearted villain with the powers of a god. What is the use of defeating two androids when we allow an evil like him alive to roam the earth? _

He was tired, so tired. But he had to go back to the others. Would he tell them about what had happened tonight? Vegeta would have gotten there long before he did. What would he say? With a heavy heart he pulled his body from the ground and started his way back to Master Roshi's island.  

In the meanwhile Vegeta soared over the ocean, lighter than air. He felt better than he ever had since he'd gotten back on this miserable little planet. When he'd reached out and crushed the girl and watched her die at his feet, when he'd taken her life, when he'd squashed her like the insignificant bug she was, it was as if a shroud of mist had lifted. His path was clear once more. He'd stayed on this planet for too long and it's petty habits had lured him into weakness. But that was over. He, Vegeta, the only true Saiyan left alive, he would rule the universe!!! Only he. It was his destiny. His father had promised this to him when he was a child. While he'd witnessed the ascension of Goku to a level beyond his own that promise still stood. It was his birthright to rule the most powerful warrior-race, it was his destiny to rule the universe as there weren't any warriors more powerful than he...it was his right to destroy which bored him or to keep which amused him and he'd be damned if he'd let himself be reigned by a lowlife species, or a degenerated warrior from his own race!!!

_I will get you, Kakaroth!_ He vowed to himself, _If you can become a supersayian, then so can I!!! I will not let you, or  this planet and it's backward inhabitants limit me any longer! I am done with observing, I do not need to watch you play with your child to discover your secret. It is part of my blood. Only the harshest of  training will reveal the key, like it was revealed to you only in the time of greatest need. I WILL become a supersayian, and I WILL surpass you. Then you will kneel before me, Kakaroth!_

He knew exactly what to do. With a spirit on fire he set course for the nervecentre of the Capsule Corporation.

The island rose from the horizon like so many had come and gone before. But this time he'd have to land there and find an explanation for his absence. Krillin swallowed. He seriously doubted Vegeta would pass a chance to humiliate him in front of his girlfriend. Merrin was the most important thing in his life. He was still baffled by his luck that she wanted to be his girlfriend. She was so beautiful! Carmine had been beautiful too, but she paled in comparison to Merrin. Merrin was like a breath of fresh air after a long stay in a confined space. He couldn't bear the thought of losing her.

"Merrin..." He sighed whistfully, "...I promise that if you want to stay with me after this, I will propose to you."

He could distinguish the little house and he imagined how she would be lying in bed, as usual rolled up in all of the blanket, sighing softly in her dreams. He pictured how he would curl up against her and how the scent of her hair would dissipate all the sadness from his soul. _There was nothing I could have done to prevent it,_ he thought, _Nothing! I'm a strong warrior but Vegeta is so much stronger than me._

He descended to the ground at the back of the house. There was no need to wake her up, especially not as she would delay him with all sorts of irrelevant questions. He rushed over to the space-ship where he'd spent training the past months but before he could board it he heard a sleepy voice behind him.

"Vegeta...where are you going?"

He turned around. Bulma was sitting on the wooden bench in the garden and by the looks of it she'd forgotten to go to bed the night before. Seeing her sleepy face framed by the delicate curls sent a pang of pain through his body. _This is NO time for weakness!! It is only one more proof of how this planet got to me! I have to get away before it drains me completely!_

She got up and walked towards him, rubbing her face. Her nipples showed through her shirt in the cold of the morning and her legs seemed endlessly long under her short skirt. "Vegeta! I've tried to reach you all night." She said, the sleepiness receding swiftly, "Where have you been?"

"That's none of your business, woman!" He growled. _ This wasn't the time! The last thing he needed was a scolding._

To his surprise she hugged him tightly. She looked up at him with beaming eyes. "Oh sweetheart, I've such wonderful news!!! I wanted to tell you as soon as I could, but Chichi told me you weren't at Master Roshis'...I hoped you'd be on your way!"

Automatically he let his arms slip around her waist and his pain was banished by a totally different emotion. He cringed when her finger traced the wound on his torso. "You are hurt..." She whispered in his ear, "Should I get some  salve?"

"No." Her breath in his ear sent a shiver down his spine. _ What does it matter?, _he thought while he let the sensation wash over him, _Just one more time before I leave this planet..._

**Departure**

In the early morning the island was strangely devoid of sounds. Usually people were running all over the place, Chichi, Master Roshi, Big Ox, Turtle, Gohan, Goku, Merrin, Piccolo...but now they were all fast asleep. He tiptoed over the wooden veranda, keeping his eyes open for stray buckets lying around and carefully he opened the door that led to the kitchen.

"Finally. You're back."

"YIKES!!!! Piccolo!" He jumped and knocked his head against the doorpost. "OUCH!!!"

The Namek was sitting crosslegged on the small kitchen-table and allowed himself a smile. It faded quickly and was replaced by an expression of concentration and rising concern. "Isn't Vegeta with you?"

Krillin rubbed his head and tried to get rid of the stars that danced in front of his eyes. "What do you mean? Hasn't he come back yet?"

"No."

"What's all the noi...KRILLIN!!!!!! YOU'RE BACK!!!!! Oh I MISSED you!!!" Merrin stormed past Piccolo and threw herself at Krillin, covering his head and face with kissess. Over her shoulder Krillin grinned apolegetically to Piccolo. 

"Did you bring me anything!? Where have you been???" Merrin let go off him and pouted.

"Not now Merrin." Krillin blushed, "Vegeta is missing."

"Missing? You mean...he's...gone?" Her eyes widened and brimmed with tears, "But that's AWFUL!!! Maybe he was attacked by a horrible sea-monster and eaten alive!!!" Wailing she ran back to the bedroom.

"I'd like to shake hands with that monster." Krillin muttered under his breath, wondering once more about his girlfriends overactive imagination. He wanted to go after her but a large green hand on his shoulder prevented him from taking another step. "Wait a minute. Vegeta was with you the whole night and now he's gone? Maybe you can be a little more specific?"

"Vegeta's gone!?" Gokus head popped around the corner of the kitchen, "Oh no! Where did he go Krillin?"

"Aaarggh." Krillin rolled his eyes, "Isn't there ANYONE in this house asleep? Don't you people sleep anymore?" He wanted to get out of there as quickly as he could before they buried him under their questions which he probably couldn't answer anyway. _So Vegeta hasn't come back yet. Well, maybe that's the first good thing happening to me today._

"...the poor girl had totally lost it and she wouldn't listen to anything I said, and when she attacked Vegeta again he killed her. Then he flew off and that's all there is to tell really. I haven't seen him since. I thought he might have come back here before me, but maybe he went back to Bulmas house?" he finished his story. Right after Goku had walked into the kitchen Piccolo had shoved the both of them into the living room and woken up the others. Now all of them were sitting in the livingroom, still sleepy from getting up so early. Master Roshi had taken a seat close to Merrin who leaned forward with her elbows on her knees, watching him with brimming eyes and quivering lips. He frowned. The old man was taking a very intimate interest in his girlfriends cleavage. 

"No. I talked to her last night, there was something she really wanted to tell him and she promised she would call us if he showed up at her place." Chichi was sitting in one of the chairs, her hand tangled in Gokus hair. Goku sat on the floor, leaning against her legs and trying to surpress his yawns. "But what a horrible story! Are you sure you're alright? You look terribly pale."

"Nah, it's nothing. I'm just a bit tired. A couple of hours of sleep and I'll be good as new." He smiled sheepishly. He'd left some minor details out of his story, like Carmine and Julie, but he didn't feel very comfortable lying to his friends. 

"All very well," Piccolo grunted, "but I still don't see what made you take VEGETA out to the city."

"Yeah." Goku stiffled another yawn, "Why did you do that, Krillin? I thought the two of you didn't get along very well."

Krillin felt the heat rising to his cheeks. "It's just that...I thought that if I showed him ways to have fun, he'd sort of...well...unwind a little...A stupid plan, I know, you guys don't have to say anything. I just thought it might be worth a try..." 

Goku shrugged. "I don't see what's so bad about your plan. Hey, it could have worked!" 

"But maybe next time you should tell us where you're going, Krillin. We've been worried sick about you!" Chichi added sternly. "You should go to bed now. I'll make us some breakfast."

Then the phone rang. They all scrambled over each other in order to get to it first but Chichi beat them all to it, leaving Goku sprawled over the floor with a footprint in his face.

"Hello...!" She answered breathlessly.

"Hi! Chichi, it's me, Bulma!"

"Bulma...it's Bulma." Chichi shouted, "Now be quiet, I can't hear a thing with all that noise!!!"

On the other side of the line Bulma shivered in her thin nightgown. Vegeta had insisted on spending the night in that stupid space-ship. He didn't even let her tend to his wounds! Of course they'd had a fight over it so she'd decided to keep the news a secret for him a little while longer. Oh, that stubborn, arrogant man would drive her insane one day! She'd gone back into the house and dressed for bed but then she'd remembered she had promised to call.

"Chichi I just called to tell you Vegeta is here with me."

"Oh, that's WONDERFUL news Bulma! Guys, guys...listen up! Vegeta is with Bulma!" Behind Chichi Krillin slumped in relief. He'd half and half expected Vegeta had gone out on a rampage. 

Bulma was about to say goodbye when she heard a familiar yet unexpected sound reverberating through the house. "Oh NO!" She gasped and dropped the phone. As fast as her legs could carry her she rushed down the stairs out into the garden.

He kicked back in the pilot seat and turned on the main screen for a last look at the house that had been his home for the past few months. No, he would feel no regret at all. Suddenly one of the doors flew open and Bulma came running towards the ship. She was shouting something but through the screen he could only see her lips move. He guessed it was his name. He pulled some switches, entered the code for activation and pushed the button. With a shock the spacecraft lifted itself from the ground and launched into space.

"Vegeta!!!! VEGETA!!!! Where are you going!?!?!? Come back here!!!"

"...there is something I _must_ tell you!!!..."

"...I'm pregnant..."

**The End**


End file.
